How To Create: Cuticle Tattoos With Eyeliner

                                  Left to right: Rad Nails Cuticle Tattoos, Ciaté Cuticle Tattoos

              The word on the street is that cuticle tattoos are going to be a big nail trend this spring/summer. However, they’re not a new trend by any means.  Last summer, American brand Rad Nails launched their cuticle tattoos to huge acclaim. Beauty blogs and websites went bananas for these quirky little transfers but for some reason they didn't really take off. Now the trend is catching on again with the launch of Ciaté’s cuticle tattoos. The British nail polish brand’s designs, diamonds, bows and stars, are much sweeter than Rad Nails’ and are exclusive to Asos. They’re currently sold out at the moment (trend alert, trend alert!) but I’ve heard they’ll be back in stock in March.

 

The cuticle tattoo trend is a bit like black pudding, you either love it or hate it. I love it; it reminds me of traditional henna tattoos but I just can’t justify the price of the transfers or the hassle of ordering online. Ciaté’s retail for €14.05 and Rad Nails’ are $6 apiece plus $5 for international shipping. You can save your money and recreate the same pretty designs (or come up with your own) with waterproof eyeliner pens and a steady hand. Let’s face it, the tattoos aren’t going to last very long unless you avoid hand washing (not recommended!) so you may as well use eyeliner for the few occasions you’ll be wearing them – nights out, festivals et cetera.

 

 

If you’re curious about my rather messy nail art, I was trying to emulate the 60s-esque nails created by Deborah Lippmann for Kate Spade’s gorgeous SS14 collection at New York Fashion Week. I adore these silver-tipped beauties!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thrifty Treat Of The Week: Simple Kind To Skin Protecting Moisture Cream SPF 30

 

I thought my eyes were deceiving me when I spotted this moisturiser in Boots. I just couldn’t believe it was €5.29. When I realised it wasn’t on offer, that its retail price is actually under a tenner, I knew it had to feature on Thrifty Treat Of The Week!

Very few budget moisturisers have high SPF; the majority only go up to SPF 15. It seems that if you want a moisturiser with a decent SPF, which protects against both UVA and UVB rays, you have to pay big bucks. Well, not anymore!  

The moisturiser itself is a light cream that absorbs quickly. You would think a moisturiser of that description would only be suitable for combination or oily skin, yes? Wrong! This cream effectively hydrates my dry and sensitive skin, probably because it’s packed full of nourishing ingredients such as vitamin E, glycerine and sweet almond oil. It’s also an excellent base for makeup.

And what makes this Thrifty Treat Of The Week extra special? It’s currently 3 for 2 on selected Simple skincare in Boots!
 

Thrifty Treat Of The Week is a weekly series on The Retro Suitcase. I want to help you save your hard-earned moolah with my bargains, tips and offers. Keep an eye on Facebook for more wonderful deals.

My First Giveaway: Win 10 Budget Beautifiers!

I’m simply thrilled to have my first giveaway! I’m giving away ten delightful little beauty products over on Facebook; including two from Wet n Wild, the latest budget brand to land in Ireland. You have until Friday (21/02/14) to enter, you can do so here. Good luck!

 

Ginger And Chocolate Valentine’s Day Cookies

Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey

 Your perfect kiss thrills me so

 Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey

 I'll never ever let you go

  

This recipe is from Rachel Allen’s book ‘Bake’. It makes approximately 35 cookies. Once I had the dough made, I only used half. I popped the other half in the fridge where it will keep for up to 2 weeks.

You will need: A heart shaped cutter, a food mixer (or muscular arms!), a rolling pin and a baking tray or two.

Ingredients: 225g (8oz) butter, 110g (4oz) caster sugar, 275g (10oz) plain flour, 25g (1oz) crystallised ginger, 50g (2oz) milk or dark chocolate.

1.       Take the butter out of the fridge in advance, it must be slightly softened. Preheat the oven to 170°C or Gas Mark 3.

2.       Beat the butter in a large bowl or food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is soft and fluffy.

3.       Finely chop the crystallised ginger. Add to the mixture along with the sieved flour.

4.       Bring the mixture together to form a dough. Place on a lightly floured work surface and knead slightly.

5.       Roll out the dough and using the cutter, cut out the cookies. Place on a baking tray (no need to grease or line) slightly apart.

6.       Bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes or until they are medium brown. If the cookies are too dark, they'll taste bitter.

7.       Remove the cookies from the baking tray while they’re still warm and allow to cool on a wire rack.

8.       When the cookies are cooled, dip the tops (or the bottoms!) in melted chocolate, then allow to set on greaseproof paper.



The Return Of The Retro Suitcase!

After a long absence, The Retro Suitcase is back! 2014 is well under way but I’ve big plans for the blog this year. I hope to post more often, join Twitter and Instagram, have my first giveaway and really just give The Retro Suitcase my all. I love writing and my mind is constantly overflowing with ideas for the blog and now I’ve finally the time to put all these ideas into action.

The Retro Suitcase has had a makeover thanks to Lauren Marie and I think the improved layout will help you navigate the site more easily. Please bear with me while I put the finishing touches to it.

I’m introducing three new series to the blog and I’m really excited about them (see below).

Finally, I’d like to thank you all for reading and commenting on my sporadic posts and for liking The Retro Suitcase on Facebook.

 

New Series!

Retro Rates:

Every fortnight I’ll feature a celebrity, an acquaintance or a fellow blogger who I think has a unique, classic or offbeat sense of style. As I’m hugely inspired by street style, I also hope to take my camera to the highways and byways of this country and snap a few rakish randomers!

If you think you’re a fashionable lady or gent and would like to feature on Retro Rates please get in touch: theretrosuitcase@gmail.com

 

Thrifty Treat Of The Week:        

This is basically a bargain of the week series but with a snazzier title! From letting you know when there’s a 3 for 2 offer in Boots to revealing the latest discount code on Asos (not to worry, it’s all above board!), I want to help you save money with my thrifty tip-offs.

Throwback Thursday:

I’m sure you’re all familiar with Throwback Thursday, the popular weekly theme on social media where people post photos of themselves from the past. I won’t be posting old photos of myself but I will be posting about the past as Thursdays on The Retro Suitcase will be dedicated to all things vintage.

To make up for my lack of posts this year, here’s the most popular from last year.

Top 5 Most Read Posts in 2013

1.       Suddenly Diamonds Perfume Is A Lidl Gem (read here)

2.       Fair Maidens Rejoice: Rimmel's New Match Perfection Foundation In 010 Light Porcelain Is Super Pale! (read here)

3.       Beauty Review: Catrice Long Lasting Lip Pencils (read here)

4.       Autumn Style: Modern Beatnik (read here)

5.       Ladies Day At The Dublin Horse Show (read here)

 

 

Suddenly Diamonds Perfume Is A Lidl Gem

Suddenly Diamonds Eau de Parfum (€3.99 for 50ml): Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this is Lidl’s latest perfume. It’s certainly new to me and there’s very little information about it online so I'm guessing it’s just hit Irish shelves. Word on the web is that it’s a dupe for a well-known luxury fragrance. Lidl’s first perfume, Suddenly Madame Glamour, is a celebrated dupe for Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and was an instant hit when it was first released here. Suddenly Diamonds is reportedly a dupe for Boss Orange by Hugo Boss. I have no idea if this is true as I have yet to smell Boss Orange but I definitely plan to and will report back here when I do. The packaging is quite similar, both boxes are white with an orange and silver design, and when I researched Boss Orange’s description it certainly sounds like Suddenly Diamonds is an imitation.

I've been really enjoying wearing this the past few days; it’s a beautiful and unusual scent. At first I thought it was too sweet for me, it's distinctly fruity; however intriguingly, it’s also intense with a vanilla and woodsy base. It lasts about 4 to 5 hours and while the bottle is nothing to write home about, it fits snugly into a handbag. I've a feeling Suddenly Diamonds is going to be another sell-out fragrance for Lidl. It’s undoubtedly a winner in my eyes. I recommend checking out this perfume before it flies off the shelves. And if it’s indeed a dupe for Boss Orange you’ll be saving yourself approximately €60, Boss Orange 50ml is currently €64 in Boots.

Would you wear perfume from Lidl?

UPDATE:

I finally went into Boots to give Hugo Boss Boss Orange a good sniff. Not a thorough scientific analysis I must admit but my fully functioning nose confirmed that Lidl's Suddenly Diamonds is without a doubt a dupe for Boss Orange!

Three Budget Hair Products I Can't Live Without

 

'Helene Curtis Spray Net' Ad 1956

 

1. Hask Argan Oil (€2.50 from Penneys/Primark): Moroccanoil revolutionised the hair care industry. Following on from its success; brands such as L’Oréal, Schwarzkopf, Shu Uemura, John Frieda and even Aldi launched hair oils claiming to contain the same miraculous argan oil. As far as I can tell, these oils are all the same. They can all be used on wet or dry hair, smell divine and will leave your hair incredibly shiny and soft. The only thing that varies is the price. Hask Argan oil, which is available in Penneys, is the most purse-friendly. The bottle is a tiny 18mls which makes it perfect for travelling and a little goes a long way.

 

2. Wella Silvikrin Hairspray (approx. €3 for 250ml): My hair doesn’t need a complicated updo to get a blast of hairspray. No, my flyaway mane gets its hairspray fix every day! I've been using Silvikrin for years. It's by no means the cheapest on the market but when I’ve tried more affordable brands, I’ve been left bitterly disappointed. What I love about this hairspray, apart from its long-lasting hold, is that it brushes out effortlessly. My hair is back to normal after a quick brush, soft and clean with no residue. Silvikrin also has a pleasant fragrance unlike its overpowering and overpriced rival L'Oreal Elnett.

 
3. Batiste Cherry (approx. €3.99): Since discovering Batiste dry shampoo a few years ago I’ve gone through countless cans of the stuff. It’s one of my must-have beauty products. It's an excellent multitasker (and lifesaver!), creating volume as well as refreshing hair. Batiste Cherry was launched last year and its sweet and fruity scent is my favourite from the range. The retro print can also looks great on my dressing table.